Friday, May 28, 2010

The Secret Of My Success Vs. Mars Attacks!

So this is what I've been working on off and on this week, remember this is a rough Version 1.0. SO, thoughts?

The Known World Mini-Adventuring Rules

COMBAT RULES- The Default Combat rules will be the DDM 2.0 rules, with noted exceptions listed here. Some simple Rules are as follows;o When the rules in the DDM 2.0 Rule book contradict an effect on a Character or Adversary’s Card, the card trumps the rules, as long as all players can agree. The goal is fun so that officially trumps ALL!§ IF the players can’t agree then a disagreeing parties simply roll a D20, and the higher number makes the decision. That decision is then noted and added to the rule set.o All Characters and Adversaries have access to three activations per turn; § Standard Action§ Move Action§ Minor ActionThey can use these in any combination descending. In addition a Character or Adversary has access to any number of Free Action(s) per turn.o A Character’s SPEED value equates to how many squares a miniature can move. Blocking Terrain stops Movement, while squares marked as or deemed as Hindering Terrain cost a character double movement per square.o Combat Order is determined based upon INITIATIVE. Initiative is determined by a D20 dice roll every round of an Encounter. Modifiers are added & the highest number goes first, the other players & Adversaries fall in behind in descending order.o FLANKING is when an enemy miniature is between equally between two enemy miniatures. This allows the friendly attackers a +2 to their Attack Value.o Only Blocking Terrain and Adversaries of one size category larger than the target block LINE OF SIGHT. Certain Battlefield conditions can also limit Line Of Sight, such as fog or darkness. Friendly figures do not limit Line Of Sight.o The exception to the Action Rules & the Speed value rule is the ability to CHARGE;§ Charging involves a miniature moving twice its speed value to make a Basic Attack at a +1 to the miniatures Attack Value.o BLOODIED equals ½ of a Character or Adversaries full Hit Point value rounded down.o CRITICAL HITS occur when a player or Adversary rolls a 20 on a D20 OR other conditions on a character or Adversary’s card. The player making the roll with then roll again, as long as another 20 is not rolled then this attack then does Double The Maximum Damage of that particular attack/effect. If a second 20 is rolled on a D20 then the damage of this attack does Quadruple The Maximum Damage of that particular attack/effect.o DEATH occurs when a character reaches either minus 10 hit points OR at zero and fails three Saving Throws (Rolling a 10 or better on a D20] on three consecutive turns. When a character reaches 0 Hit Points it is unconscious and may take NO Actions.o CRITICAL MISSES occur when a player or Adversary rolls a 1 on a D20 OR other conditions on a character or Adversary’s card. This attack then does Double The Maximum Damage of that particular attack/effect.o MORAL§ Animals, Henchmen, & Companions will also be subject to combat Morale checks, meaning that if the number is 10 or above they pass the 1 time Moral check and fight to the death, 9 or below they route & run for it.

CHARACTER CREATION- Characters will be created using 4E DDI (Dungeons & Dragons Insider) character builder. From there powers will be at an ascending point cost (10 pts per power per level ascending) with a 10-point per level additional cost. Utility powers will only cost 5 pts. o Example:§ If you have a 1st Level At-Will (A power that can be used at your discretion) power it would at 10 points to your base cost of 10 points per level for your character. All powers cost would depend on the level, 10 points adding per level of the power, with the exception of Utility powers, which would only be 5 points. So a 1st Level character with 2 At-Wills, 1 Encounter (A power that has 1 use per combat), & 1 Daily (A power that has 1 use per day) would cost a player 50 points; 10 points for the 1st Level character, 10 points for the 2 At Wills, 10 points for the 1 Encounter, & 10 points for the 1 Daily power.§ The Second Wind power is a 1st Level At-Will power. It will cost 10 points per level when purchased. This ability allows a Character to spend a Standard Action to Heal a number of Hit Points equivalent to ¼ of his or hers total Hit Points, rounded down. - The player to the left of the player whose turn it currently is will handle the monster’s attack, reactions, etc. - Player Characters have access to 1 Action Point per Encounter. This Action Point allows them to have one additional turn. This can be used as at any time, with the exception of interrupting the middle of another player/Adversaries turn.

DUNGEON CARDS Dungeon Cards list room/hallway types to be added to the Dungeon/Encounter Area. On these cards will be Encounter Ratings, if an encounter is to happen at this location. This will correlate to the Adventure Module, the handout that lists the enemies available to the Dungeon/Encounter Area both per pre-determined Room or Event Encounters & by Random Encounter based upon critical failures and other conditions being met.

ADVENTURE MODULE This details how many Dungeon Cards are available, the goal, the theme, Random Encounter Tables, Traps, the Main Adversary, and then any additional details. Additional details would include; 3D Terrain, Special Effects, Special Treasures, Diseases, Curses, etc. While the Adventure Module is a set plan, the game itself remains random thus allowing for it to be played without a Game/Dungeon Master, as well as giving it the potential for Cooperative/Competitive Gaming.

ENCOUNTERSEncounters are rated on a Three Star System;“ * “ - Easy Encounter – This is an encounter that the Party should be able to overcome with minimal to no losses. Examples would include, but are not limited to; 60% of Random Encounters, minions, low level monsters, etc. During an Easy Encounter, unless otherwise stated, all monsters must make a MORAL check when bloodied. Meaning that if the number is 10 or above they pass the 1 time Moral check and fight to the death, 9 or below they route & run for it. Easy Random Encounter Monsters are worth their point cost/XP value in Copper Pieces, as well as being worth their value in Experience Points (or XP). Room or Planned Encounters will have a set Treasure Parcel assigned to that particular Encounter.

“ ** “ – Standard Encounter – This is an encounter that pits the Party against a foe or foes equal to them. Examples would include, but are not limited to; Mini-Boss Foes, parties of other adventurers, Solo Monsters, 35% of Random Encounters, Moderate (10 enemies of lower levels) adversarial warbands, etc. During a Standard Encounter, unless otherwise stated, all monsters below the level of the weakest member of the party, Henchmen, Companions, & Animals included, must make a MORAL check when bloodied. Meaning that if the number is 10 or above they pass the 1 time Moral check and fight to the death, 9 or below they route & run for it. Standard Random Encounter Monsters are worth half their point cost/XP value, rounded down, in Silver Pieces, as well as being worth their value in Experience Points (or XP). Room or Planned Encounters will have a set Treasure Parcel assigned to that particular Encounter.

“ *** “ – Difficult Encounter – This is an encounter that requires innovative thinking, use of multiple Encounter Powers, use of Daily Powers, etc. in order for the Party to be successful. Examples would include, but are not limited to; High Level Solo Monsters, “Bosses”, Solo Elite Monsters, 05% of Random Encounters, Large (15 to 20 enemies of lower levels) adversarial warbands, etc. During a Difficult Encounter, unless otherwise stated, all monsters below the level of the weakest member of the party, Henchmen, Companions, & Animals included, must make a MORAL check when bloodied. Meaning that if the number is 10 or above they pass the 1 time Moral check and fight to the death, 9 or below they route & run for it. Difficult Random Encounter Monsters are worth half their point cost/XP value, rounded down, in Gold Pieces, as well as being worth their value in Experience Points (or XP). Room or Planned Encounters will have a set Treasure Parcel assigned to that particular Encounter.

Adversaries – Hard & Fast Rules- Only Bosses will have Action Points, and not every Boss will have one.- Adversaries will meet the theme of the dungeon.- Adversaries do not have the Second Wind Power, but may have other abilities that mimic that power, such as Troll Regeneration.- 50% of a Group Of Adversaries must not exceed the Level of the Party Members.- Never will there be more than 20 Minions on a board at a time.

TRAPS Traps can be Random, and are therefore determined by a Random Trap Encounter table listed in the Adventure Module, OR are Encounter Traps and are also listed per Encounter Room. Example; The players fully enter a room. The room is specified in the Adventure Module as containing a trap. The Players make no attempt at a Perception check (At DC 20), and therefore activate Mearl’s Deadly Dungeon Mould Spore

RITUALS The Players have access to Rituals as long as they can meet the up front costs. Rituals can be cast from scrolls, which is a ONE TIME casting, or from a Ritual Book which allows for multiple castings. To cast a Ritual you must have all the components as well as being within FOUR levels of the Ritual. (List Rituals Available)

COMPANIONS, ANIMALS, & HENCHMEN When hiring or attaining Companions, Animals, or Henchmen they will cost their point value (for pre-generated DDM pieces) or their build cost based on the character creation model if they are customized. Henchmen, Animals, & Companions will also be subject to combat MORALE checks just like 1st Edition DDM, meaning that if they reach bloodied they will need to roll a 10 or better on a 20-sider, if they fail to do so they route and run.

Example Opening;

Into The Halls Of The Crimson King

On the southern tip of the Teeth Of Gruumsh Mountains in the walled city of Teelloss sits Baron Dados. He has sent out a call for assistance throughout the civilized lands as his barony is under assault, an assault of the damned. Out from the abandoned Dwarven Longbeard Empire’s Halls of Black Chasm in the base of the Mountains an evil has awoken, and it is hungry. Six months have passed and the city’s walls have proven to have little or no effect on the minions of the mysterious one known as the Crimson King. Abductions, murder, & theft are now the norm, as the city has turned in on itself in a desperate attempt for survival. To flee north through the mountains is to invited death by Orc, north to the Midlands is the teeth of dragons, & south is to find slavery as a subject of the Chained Kings of Eton. The call has gone out; those who would slay the Crimson King will be rewarded with whatever they find in the fabled Halls of the Black Chasm as well as their weight in gold. Are you brave enough?